Friday, February 13, 2009

The middle class world view

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"What if, like me, you're not one whose power and social status protects him from the worst effects? Do you believe that democratic societies can do the right thing? If not, this is a time for individuals to make their own quiet plans and preparations"

It all depends on whether we can persuade enough other people to keep things going; and how bad it might get otherwise. I'm trying to have a Plan B and Plan C, but they are not as good as Plan A: get the system to punish and protect as appropriate, which is the deal that allows our rulers to have the moral authority to hold power.

There are people all over who are working, often without recognition, to make things less bad for the vulnerable. This evening a small HG will be taking over for a local councillor who cannot be there, dealing with a stream of petty but often devastating difficulties for local council-tax payers. She serves on various local (private, not government) bodies that help make this bit of London a decent place to live. And across the country there ar similar civil gestures maintaining some kind of functioning society. What happens when outrage at the exploitation of civility finally destroys it though?